


9

by DaniJayNel



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Tragedy, F/F, yumikuri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 12:18:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13570449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniJayNel/pseuds/DaniJayNel
Summary: After losing Historia in an attack against the Count and his army, Ymir is captured and kept alive simply to be executed publicly. Ymir has given up everything now that Historia is dead, even though she is a powerful 9 and a key figure in the rebellion against the controlling vizards. At her execution Count sets off a bomb designed to kill every viper in the country, and Ymir uses her ability to stop it. But the force of her power and the bomb throw her out of her universe entirely. She wakes up alone, confused and uncertain of where she is.Historia has had four years to deal with her grief over Ymir's death. With the truth about the titans, Eldians and Marley changing their very lives, she's had much to occupy her thoughts. But then Hange brings a strange intruder to her castle. That intruder is Ymir, and Historia's entire world slows down.From different realities, Ymir and Historia decide to help each other save their worlds, all the while trying not to still love each other as if the other wasn't dead.





	9

**Author's Note:**

> I was about to sleep the other night when the idea for this fic hit me SO HARD I emailed the idea to myself to make sure I didn't forget it. The next day I started writing it, and here we are. This is dedicated to all of the people that have helped me so far! I can't mention how or why here on AO3, but if you wanna know more, check out my tumblr

Days had passed, and yet whenever Ymir stared at her hands, she saw them covered in blood. Red and dripping, but cold. It made her heart ache and her breath catch. There wasn’t really anything left to care about, so she had stopped fighting. When Historia had taken that blast to the chest, ripping a hole right through her, spattering her blood all over Ymir’s face, life had ceased to have meaning. Ymir had just cradled Historia in her arms until her blood went cold and the vizards arrested her. She was dragged away, forced to leave Historia there in the dirt, where flies and vultures would guzzle her up.

“Time to get up, 9,” a gruff voice echoed in her cage. She hadn’t been asleep, at least. She crawled onto her knees and stared down at the ground. Her hands were bound tightly behind her back and the chain wrapped around her throat prevented her from moving much. The cage itself was only big enough for her to kneel in, not even stand. “Your time is up.”

Ymir had been expecting it. There was no way she wouldn’t be sentenced to death. Her only surprise came from how long it had taken. Normally, she would have had some snarky comeback, but Ymir honestly couldn’t bring herself to even open her mouth. Her lips were dry and cracked, and her stomach ached from days without food, yet it was all an echoing ache. Pain as if it was filtering in from somewhere else, not within her.

Her cage was opened and gloved hands roughly pulled her out. She had been in that cage for days, so her legs cramped up and she struggled to stand. The vizard clamped his hand around her upper arm and forced her to stand.

“Get up, viper scum, or I’ll make sure you have an excuse not to stand.”

Ymir grunted and breathed in deeply. Her legs hurt badly, but she could manage. It only took a few seconds for her balance to return, and then she was shoved forward and two more vizards stepped in front of her. A fourth joined from the back, and they started walking forward, her in the centre. She could feel their ability blockers all around her, scrambling her brain and body. It was as if they were squeezing down on her throat, preventing her from breathing.

There was no way Ymir could use her abilities like this. At least she wasn’t even planning to. Maybe the rebellion would try to rescue her. They needed her, they needed _the_ 9 viper. But Ymir knew there were other 9s like her out there. They would survive without her, they had to. Her time fighting against the vizards, against the Count and his regime, was over. Everything she had been had ended the moment Historia took her last breath.

Historia had been her salvation from slavery as a 9 to a powerful noble. Historia had introduced her to the rebellion of vipers and vizards and the zeroes, all unhappy with the way their society worked, the way vipers were sold and used and thrown away. The way vizards controlled everything as if it was their right. Ymir had hated the injustice, but now, what was the point?

If they succeeded in killing the Count, the most powerful vizard, and freed all of the vipers and zeroes, who would be there to celebrate with her? Who would Ymir spent her free years with? No one. There was no point.

Ymir wanted to die.

They left the underbelly of the castle, climbing pristine, cold stairs until they arrived at the grand hall, where the Count sat upon his throne of skulls. His eyes burned red and his lips were spread in a smirk. Just the sight of him made her sick. He had been the hand that had reduced her love to nothing.

“Ah, our beloved 9,” Count boomed, his voice overpowering all other conversations in the hall. There were nobles of various powerful families scattered about, drinking from glasses and enjoying snacks, as if most of their country wasn’t ravaged by severe poverty and hunger. “It amuses me greatly to see you brought so humbly down to your knees, my dear.”

Ymir stumbled forward and was shoved down onto her knees. She refused to bow down in front of him, and though all other feeling was gone, her hatred for this man was not. She glared as harshly and as hatefully as she could manage, but that only amused him more as he strode down the stairs towards her. The closer he came, the hotter Ymir felt. His ability was suffocating her.

“Be gone,” Count told the vizard guards.

“But, Your Majesty, this viper is—”

“I am well aware of what this rat is capable of,” Count growled. The guards all shared a glance and bowed their heads low, quick to scurry away where Count could not see them. Power rippled around him in short sparks of bright red electricity.

Why did a man such as this have to be born with such a powerful ability?

“Feast your eyes, my loyal subjects,” Count said loudly, “as the once feared 9 kneels before me, covered in her own shit and piss.”

Voices lifted, people speaking in soft tones to each other. Ymir blocked them all out. This was all for show. She didn’t need to look to know that there were cameras stationed everywhere, broadcasting this to every corner of the world. All of the vizard scum were eager to see their greatest enemy beheaded on live television.

“What should we do with her, hm?” Count questioned, stepping closer. He reached out and roughly grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. His electricity burned Ymir’s skin, but she didn’t flinch or make a sound. He laughed at that.

“May I make a suggestion, Your Majesty?”

A tall, broad shouldered woman stepped forward. Her eyes were as red as Count’s, but her ability was nowhere near as powerful.

“Of course, Scarlet. What do you suggest?”

Scarlet’s blazing eyes fell on her. Ymir stared straight at her, refusing to bow down to anyone of Count’s blood. “Let me have her,” Scarlet suggested. “And use her until she’s broken.”

Count made a show of considering it. “Request denied, my beloved.” He went to caress her cheek. “I wish to destroy her publically, here and now.”

Scarlet narrowed her eyes. “The likes of her does not deserve a swift end.”

“Be that as it may, her life is only valuable until the clock strikes one.”

Ymir’s heart spiked. What did he mean? Count looked at her to gauge her reaction, grinning. “Oh yes, _9_. You are most valuable to the rebellion, right? There is no way they won’t attempt to rescue you.”

Ymir understood now. They should have just killed her there with Historia, but instead they had chained and kept her, all for this. To draw out the rebellion forces. This was all a trap. Despite the abilities still blocking her, Ymir could feel electricity gathering in the air, could taste moisture on her tongue. Her head whipped around.

They wouldn’t. Surely they knew.

Count laughed. He knew they were here, too. “Come out, vipers!” he taunted. “Attempt to save your precious 9 failure!”

Ymir’s heart was pounding, almost beating for the first time since her lover had died. She tried to stand, but Count struck her with a bolt of electricity, sending her to the ground. She had felt worse than this, but there was nothing she could do to protect herself from the burning along her skin.

“Don’t!” she rasped out, pain flaring all around her. “Not for me!”

The windows shattered then. Ymir tried to stand again, but Count strengthened his ability. Ymir could smell her own skin and hair burning. Figures barrelled into the spacious room, bringing with them fierce, powerful abilities. Ymir felt the striking of wind and water and fire. Count remained absolutely calm, even as most of his vizard guards were taken down in seconds.

As quickly as it had started, the chaos died down. The nobles were either dead, cowering or had already fled. The only ones that remained were those from the rebellion, their faces covered by bright blue masks.

“Hand her over, Count,” a woman growled. Ymir knew her voice, and her stomach dropped.

“Nanaba, no!” Ymir choked out, but Count didn’t let up, and she was so close to convulsing on the floor.

“Thank you for bringing yourselves here,” Count said in a sneer, “and saving me the trouble of finding and skinning you all myself.”

The light from outside disappeared as the windows and doors were sealed with layers of metal. The nobles remaining started to mutter in fear, and Count started to laugh. He pulled a small device from his pocket, grinning.

“The thing I love about our differences, is our ability to create weapons that destroy vipers, but not us.” Ymir just barely managed to see what was in his hand. It look like a small remote. “I’ve gone to the great trouble of building this myself.” He pressed one of the buttons, and a panel in front of his throne opened. A small sphere appeared from the hole, lifting up on a pedestal. The vipers started backing away, their abilities calming down.

“It’s the Event,” someone muttered, voice layered with fear. “It’s real!”

“We just came here to die.”

“What do we do, Commander?”

Nanaba ordered them to silence. She was firm, unwavering. “You’ll kill every viper in the country,” Nanaba told him fiercely. “Who will do your labour for you then?”

Count gave a great laugh. “I will simply purchase more vipers from our neighbouring countries. Fortunately for us, your kind like to fuck more than anything. We have more than enough in supply.”

Ymir could sense Nanaba’s anger. “You vizard scum all deserve to die,” Nanaba growled angrily. “Every single one of you.”

“Oh dear, unfortunately this time only your kind will die. Have any last words?” His ability only strengthened, burning Ymir’s bones. She clenched her teeth so hard that her jaw bones cracked. “None? Alright then!” He pressed another button.

The sphere shot up into the air and opened, emanating a pulsing blue light. Ymir could already feel its effects. She couldn’t let it go off. Couldn’t let all of the vipers die for nothing, for a dumb mistake she had made.

Ymir forced herself to stand. Despite the pain, despite her flaming clothes, she called upon her every ability. Count stumbled back as the vipers all did, shocked that she was able to stand with his full assault running through her body. Ymir didn’t care. She had been prepared to die, either way. At least if she did this, she would be dying for a reason. She would save people.

With a roar of pain and effort, Ymir unleased her full ability. The very air around them almost ceased when the bomb went off against Ymir’s power. It was instant, then, and Ymir knew she would never know if she had succeeded or not. All she saw was a massive pulse of blue light, and then her body was sucked forward and she hit her head, and everything went dark.

XxX

Ymir never expected to wake up, but she did with the sun beating down hard on her battered body. She groaned and rolled over onto her side. Several of her bones were broken and she could smell her own blood all over her. The blast must have been really powerful, but if she was still alive then she must have succeeded. Ymir felt around with her ability, drawing in tendrils of energy until she was fully healed and recharged. She slowly sat up, running a hand over her face.

She was puzzled to find herself in the middle of nowhere. In all directions were fields with occasional trees littered about. Some debris had landed with her, and a few bodies. She stumbled over to a dead vizard guard and stripped him of his clothes. Her own were completely gone and she needed to cover herself from the sun. She didn’t have the energy to continuously heal herself from sun stroke or a bad burn.

The outfit was simple: black pants, thick, black vest and boots that could survive the end of the world. It would be hot, but she would at least be protected from the elements like this. Ymir spotted something blue and walked over to it, heart dropping. It was a rebellion mask. Hesitantly she reached out and grabbed it.

 _Annie_ was written on the inside in loopy handwriting. Ymir didn’t know her, but she must not have made it. With a heavy heart, Ymir slid the mask on and inhaled steadily. She needed to find the closest city or town where she could contact high command and inform them that she had survived. She also hoped that Nanaba had made it out alive too.

With no idea where she was, Ymir just started going forward. She walked for hours and didn’t see a single building in the distance. The sun only got hotter and the clothes were sticking to her, drenched with her sweat. She forced herself to press on, if only so she could find out if Nanaba was okay.

As she walked, she thought. With her thoughts came waves of pain, because Historia would always be on her mind. Every shared smile and kiss and touch, it all burned Ymir down to her very soul. She started crying, silently, salty tears simply rushing down her face. Eventually the tears stopped, but her crying did not. Historia had been a vizard, but despite that, they had fallen in love. Historia had been loyal to the rebellion, to the cause of the vipers. Ymir had loved her so fiercely.

“She’s dead,” Ymir choked out, forcing herself to hear it. “Historia is dead.”

She clenched her hands into tight fists and breathed in. Crying over the dead would not bring them back. If fate had decided that Ymir was not to die yet, then that was all the sign she needed. Her new purpose in life would be to find Count, and kill him with her own hands. She didn’t care if she blew herself away too. So long as that man ceased to live, she would be content.

Ymir let the anger and hate boil inside of her and fuel her forward. It felt like more hours slipped by until she spotted a figure in the distance, lumbering towards her. Her pulse quickened. She couldn’t see any colours of allegiance, so she wasn’t sure if they were a viper, vizard or a zero. She supposed she would find out.

The closer Ymir got, the more she realized that something wasn’t right. The person looked to be completely naked, and they seemed to increase in size. Ymir realized that the person was at least ten metres tall. They looked deformed and vacant, but they was grinning widely at her with a hunger Ymir had never seen before. When they noticed her, the giant made a noise of desperation deep in their throat, and then they lunged for her.

Ymir felt the world around her slow down. The giant was mid-air, diving for her, but she moved out of its way with ease, and then time continued as normal and the giant crashed into the ground, grunting.

“Who are you?” Ymir asked, hoping to get some sort of answer. There was no acknowledgement of her words. The giant only lunged for her again. Ymir jumped in the air to avoid a fist and landed on the giant’s shoulder. She placed a hand against its head and the giant froze. Ymir felt emotions and desires, no thought. She sensed a soul trapped and tortured, so she destroyed it in a ball of blue fire. She landed on the ground in a pile of ash, and straightened when she heard the clap of hooves on hard soil.

A legion of riders burst from a hill, spilling down towards her and surrounding her. Ymir thought about trying to escape, but if these people could help her, she didn’t want to look suspicious. She lifted her hands in the air.

“Where do you come from?” a rider called from the front. “What is your name?”

Ymir felt sweat slide down the side of her face. “I am a 9 viper, slave to no one. My kingdom is Eldia.”

Voices of surprise rose around her.

“Viper? 9? What are you talking about?” the person asked. “Are you aligned with Marley?”

Ymir furrowed her brows. “Marley? I don’t understand.”

“She said Eldia,” a man said, approaching them. “Perhaps she made it out of the walls.”

“No one leaves the walls, Jean,” they said. “She must be from beyond the ocean. Marley sent her.”

Jean looked at her. His horse walked closer. “Tell us, intruder. Why are you here?”

Ymir swallowed. “I’m not sure where I am. Where is this? Who are you?”

Jean sighed. “Hange, we should kill her now.”

Hange hummed and came closer. They were attractive and androgynous, with glasses strapped around their head and brown hair tied up high. “She might have valuable intel from Marley,” Hange said, eyes hard. “Let us take her back to the walls.”

“But Hange—”

“That’s an order, Kirstein,” Hange commanded.

Jean nodded his head and barked at the other riders. Ymir decided not to struggle as they tied her hands and helped her up on one of the horses. Jean told her that if she tried to run, they would feed her to titans.

“Titans?” Ymir asked him, perplexed. “You mean those giant people?”

Jean barked out a laugh. “What are you, stupid? How do you not know what a titan is?”

Ymir had no answer to give, so she remained silent and let them take her. They rode hard in the direction Ymir had been walking, until she spotted a massive wall ahead. When they reached the wall a gate opened and they rode beyond.

“Jean, inform Levi of our return. I’m taking our prisoner to the castle to see the Queen.”

Jean dipped his head and took half the riders around them with him. “Survey Corp, with me!”

Ymir watched him go with fascination. So this place was ruled by a Queen. Ymir wondered what type of woman she was, and what her allegiance was. It was always definite that anyone in a seat of power was a vizard, but maybe she had been blown to some island where there were no allegiances of blood.

Beyond the wall was just… houses. Some were destroyed, but the area was mostly populated. People milled about between buildings, and up ahead there was a market. Ymir stared in curiosity. She saw no colours, no numbers, and no ranks. Just people being… people. Selling food, eating food. Children running around, their parents yelling at them, soldiers patrolling around. These soldiers were nothing like the vizard guards Ymir knew.

“Where the fuck am I?” Ymir muttered to herself.

This was clearly not the Eldia she knew. Not at all.

XxX

Apparently the walls were absolutely massive, and there were three of them. Ymir was forced to travel with Hange as they went from wall to wall. Luckily they seemed to have a sort of train system that was built from wall to wall. It was pretty high up, but Ymir didn’t really care for height. Neither did the soldiers around her. She studied their odd equipment for most of the train ride, wondering what they did until a soldier suddenly appeared by the open cart door, reeling in wires from outside. Her equipment gave a short burst of steam.

“Reporting in, Commander,” the woman said. “Eren has returned.”

Hange’s head jerked up. “Casualties?”

“Thirty-five survey corp dead, ninety-eight injured.”

“The objective?”

“Successful.”

Hange whooped loudly, startling Ymir. She was sitting on a wooden bench right beside Hange, so their excited shout rang right in her ear.

“Absolutely wonderful,” Hange exclaimed. They didn’t seem at all concerned about such a high number of dead and injured. Was this normal for them, then?

The soldier placed her fist against her heart, and then she hopped out of the cart and Ymir watched her soar through the sky. She wondered if these people were perhaps air vizards. Did they propel themselves by manipulating the air, or was it all in the equipment? Were they zeroes, then, with an advanced technology?

“You look curious,” Hange spoke towards her. “Never seen 3DMG before?”

Ymir titled her head. Luckily her mask was still in place, so no one knew her face yet. That could be the only reason they hadn’t executed her on the spot. “No,” she answered simply.

Hange hummed. They seemed as though they wanted to say more, but chose not to. Ymir was fine with that. She didn’t feel inclined to talk to anyone.

They travelled for a full day and reached the inner wall by midnight. The security was intense here, with soldiers and their strange equipment all around the walls and streets. Here the houses were larger, more spaced apart. Right in the dead centre was the castle, and Ymir knew that there, she would discover her fate.

The train lowered to the ground and she was pulled to her feet. Hange had a hand around her upper arm, but other soldiers eyed her with suspicion. If Ymir tried anything, they would take her head off, she knew it. There was something in the way they watched Hange carefully that made Ymir realize that they were afraid to lose them. Good. She would remember that.

“If you feel that now would be a good time to show your true intention, please know that we are more than capable of killing a shifter.” It was a threat, but Hange’s voice was calm and pleasant. “Normally we would avoid bringing suspicious people to the Queen, but she can handle herself fine.”

Ymir swallowed. That meant she was probably a cruel, powerful person. What ability did she have? Was it fire? Metal? Or perhaps electricity, like Count?

Ymir carefully watched every hallway and turn, mapping out the place in case she needed a quick escape. Before long they entered a long room, where a figure stood by a large, open window. Moonlight spilled in from outside and within the stone walls were illuminated by hanging oil lamps. Hange told their soldiers to hang back and then pulled Ymir with them until they were by the throne.

“Did we find the source of the light?”

Ymir’s heart jerked. It couldn’t be…

“I did indeed, Your Highness.” Hange grinned like it was some joke, and bowed their head slightly. “We found nothing more than debris and dead bodies. This one here was wondering from the site. I assume she’s a Marley spy. What should we do with her?”

The Queen stepped away from the shallow moonlight and towards them, allowing the light from the surrounding fires to set a glow upon her skin. Her blue eyes were bright and vivid despite the late hour. Ymir knew those eyes, that face, and those lips. Ymir’s entire world simmered down to one single point: the woman before her.

“Historia,” Ymir choked out. Her heart felt like it was bleeding. There were no tears left to cry, but a strangled sob left her lips.

Historia tilted her head in confusion. Ymir ripped her hands free from the weak bindings and walked forward, fingers trembling. Soldiers materialized from the darkness and drew long, rectangular blades. They surrounded her in an instant, preventing her from taking one more step towards Historia. Anger swallowed Ymir whole, and she felt around with her abilities, ready to rip these people apart.

“I’m alright,” Historia told them. “Stand down.”

They seemed hesitant, but Hange seconded the command and they stepped back, but not away, and they did not sheath their blades. “Be careful,” Hange said.

Historia took the last few steps forward. She was different. Not as scarred as Ymir knew, much paler. She was definitely just as fierce, as strong. Her cheeks were slightly hollowed, as if she did nothing but strengthen herself. Instead of a dress, she wore the same uniform that the others wore, but with a crown that was fastened to her head, impossible to fall off. She was just as tall as Ymir remembered, her eyes just as bright. Her hair was longer, too. Just at her jawline.

“Who are you, and what are your intentions?” Historia asked her coldly. There was no trace of the kindness she had used in her voice a moment ago. Ymir could tell that Historia could be feared.

“Historia, it’s me,” Ymir spoke softly. “Where are we?”

Historia’s expression wavered. She cleared her throat. “You, who? I have no time for foolish games. This is a war of life and death.”

Ymir swallowed. She still had her mask on, so she slowly pulled it off and let it clatter to the ground. The second the light lit up her face, Historia’s cold mask crumbled. Ymir saw boundless pain and relief crash over her, so she let her feet carry her forward, and cupped Historia’s face in her hands. She pressed their foreheads together.

“It’s me,” Ymir whispered.

“Ymir?” Historia gasped, soft, almost scared. “How are you…? But how…?”

She no longer seemed the imposing Queen, but just a heartbroken woman. Ymir pulled away. She wanted to kiss her, to melt into her very being and be overcome by her, but this was all wrong.

“I watched you die, Historia,” Ymir told her. “Your heart was blown to pieces. I held you in my arms and sat in a pool of your blood until you were blue and solid.”

Historia furrowed her brows. “I… Ymir, I’m not dead. But you… Marley executed you. You were eaten by the successor of the Jaw Titan.”

Ymir’s brows furrowed as well. “Jaw Titan? I don’t understand. What is that?” She started stepping away, afraid now. “Where is this, Historia? I was about to be executed by Count. He had a bomb, the Event. Remember the Event? Vizards whispered about it like it was some saviour, but it was a biological bomb meant to eradicate vipers. It went off. I woke up here, and I… I don’t know how I survived.”

Historia lifted her hand, stopping the soldiers from rushing forward. Everyone was nervous now, with Ymir stepping freely through the room. “Are you really Ymir?” Historia asked her. The mask was back.

Ymir looked back at her. “I am. Are you really Historia?”

“Yes.”

“What are your colours? Who are you loyal to by blood?”

Historia seemed perplexed. “I don’t understand.”

“Are you a vizard, Historia?”

“I’m a Reiss. I am Queen of Paradis, this Island. I am the heir of the Fritz bloodline and the Founding Titan.”

Ymir shook her head. “Where the fuck am I?” Her heart started to pound. She twisted around, suddenly claustrophobic. “Is this some sick illusion?” she shouted.

“Everyone, back away,” Hange ordered sternly. “We don’t know what she’s capable of.”

Ymir watched them do as they were told. Her skin started to crackle with blue fire. She wanted to make a run for it, afraid that this was all an elaborate illusion cooked up by Count, meant only to fool her into thinking Historia was still alive. Even though her very soul wanted her to drop to her knees and clutch at Historia, she was afraid. Surely this was not real. Surely.

Ymir let her flames surround her, felt her power fill her to bursting. Every particle around her reacted to her energy, willing her to use them. Her fire turned to purple electricity, coiling and curling around Ymir’s limbs and fingers, dancing in her eyes.

She had electricity in her blood, too.

XxX

Four years could be longer than fourty. At least, it felt that way to Historia. She vividly remembered the day Ymir had left her—a decision that no one understood, to this day. She remembered what came after. The revelations, Ymir’s letter, her confessions, and finally, her death.

Ymir was undoubtedly dead. How did Historia know? Marley had sent Ymir’s head in a box, as a gift. The successor of Ymir’s titan must have seen all of her memories, known of the bond Ymir and she had shared. So Marley had taken the pieces of Ymir that were left after she was chewed apart, and sent them with a messenger.

Historia had screamed that day. She had been utterly foolish, hoping that Ymir had left her with some grand scheme to save them. Ymir had promised her things. Ymir had been her first everything. Historia had loved Ymir before she had even realized what love was. How cruel it had been, to hold the severed head of the love of her life.

From that day forth, Historia had declared utter war against Marley. Eren had done so already, but the survey corp and the political powers within wall Sina were floundering, uncertain what to do with such a real threat.

It was amusing to think that they had all assumed titans were all there was to fear. Now, titans were like flies. Manageable. Distant. A pest, but not a danger. _They_ were the titans, after all.

It had taken them four long years to successfully infiltrate Marley. Historia had sent multiple people over the sea, to gather intel and secrets, to relay it all back to her. Eren was to spearhead it all. He was the key, the ammunition. Historia was merely the gun. A month ago Eren had taken a select group and headed to Marley for the defining act. Historia had received word that he was back, but she had yet to see him.

For before her, stood Ymir. The love of her life. The everything she had ever wanted. The moment Ymir had dropped that mask and shown her face, the very breath had been sucked right from Historia’s lips. Her legs had nearly given out below her. Questions and explanations had exploded inside of her mind.

How was Ymir here?

Was the head a fake?

Did Markey send her here?

Was Ymir a spy for them, then?

A sleeper agent?

Why was she confused?

Why was she still so beautiful, so alluring?

Historia swallowed thickly and pressed a fist tightly against her chest, right above her pounding heart. It would never stop aching, not even now. Ymir was making no sense. She seemed like Ymir, but also not. Her hair was much short, almost cropped, and her face was littered with scars that Historia did not recognize. She held herself differently, with more power and purpose than Historia remembered. The Ymir she had known had been scared within her bravery. This Ymir seemed scared of naught but this.

Ymir was twisting around, her hands outstretched, spitting sparks of elements and electricity. It was like nothing they had ever seen before. Historia was terrified that Marley had discovered a way to give people abilities like this. If they had, then titans were nothing. The nine titan powers were _nothing_. It took everything in her power to keep her heart steady, her breathing normal. She straightened her back and lifted her chin.

“Ymir, _calm down,_ ” she commanded. “Let’s talk about this, figure this out.”

Ymir swivelled around. Her eyes were pure purple now, electricity coiling through them like veins. Her shoulders were heaving and sweat slid down her dirty face. “I don’t know what’s happening, Historia.” Her face creased in grief. “I’m so scared that you’re not real.”

Historia wanted to say _me too, my love,_ but there were too many eyes here. Nothing was making sense. Historia opened her mouth, but Hange spoke before she could.

“I have a theory here,” Hange said.

Historia closed her mouth. The heat in the room dissipated slightly as Ymir turned to her, curious. “Care you share it?” Historia asked.

Hange sighed and strode over to the throne. They ran a finger over the polished armrest. “Ymir, explain the last thing you remember before you woke up.”

Ymir stared at her, but complied. “I was about to be executed on live television, along with every viper in Eldia. Count, our king, vizard scum, created a biological bomb that would only kill vipers. He lured the rebellion to his castle, to kill them with me. They were trying to save me, because I’m a really powerful 9, and I’ve been the face of the rebellion for ten years. When I realized what he intended, I released a burst of my full power. The bomb exploded, I saw a flash of blue light, and then I woke up here.” The electricity fizzled out. “Am I dead?”

Hange tapped a finger against their lips. “Hmm. I know for certain that our Ymir died four years ago,” Hange said. “And you are certain that your Historia died however long she did. Correct?” She looked between them. Both of them nodded. “So I think that maybe what happened, is the bomb must have ripped through time itself, and sent this Ymir, here.”

Ymir looked at her, and Historia stared. “Huh?”

“Alternative realities!” Hange cried. “I always wondered if this reality was the only that existed. This just confirms it! This Ymir is from another world, Historia. An entirely different reality, where ours does not exist. Where the two of you experienced entirely different lives.”

Everyone in the room seemed utterly confused. Hange sighed deeply, as though they were completely misunderstood. They were, most of the time. Historia wanted to say that this was absolutely absurd, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Nothing else really did.

A strange beeping sound filled the air, startling everyone. Ymir made a noise of surprise, and then she rifled through her pockets and produced a rectangular metal object.

“Well fuck me,” Ymir muttered to herself. “Bastard had a phone.”

Historia inched closer. “What is a phone?”

Ymir gave her a look. She shook her head and pressed something on the object, the ‘phone’, and then a beam of light filled the room. Within the light, they all saw a face.

“Ymir!” the person exclaimed, light glaring off of glasses atop their face. “Thank the goddess. I managed to track your DNA signature! Boy, was it difficult to find you.”

Ymir heaved a massive sigh of relief. The hard line of her shoulders relaxed. “Zoe, I’m so relieved. Is Nanaba alive? What happened to Count? The vipers?”

Hange inched closer. “Is that… me?”

The person in the light squinted. “Ymir,” Zoe said, “Why does that look like a sexier version of me?”

Ymir looked at Hange, brows furrowed. Her eyes widened. Their appearance was so vastly different that she hadn’t even realized that Hange was Zoe. “Oh my god, Hange was right. I am from a different dimension.”

Zoe cackled. “I knew my theory was correct!”

“Hey!” Hange exclaimed, affronted. “That was _my_ theory.”

Before the two of them could argue, Ymir interrupted them. Historia watched the entire exchange with absolute interest. She had never seen anything like this before.

“The rebellion lives yet,” Zoe continued in a rush. “Your power burst managed to neutralize the bomb, but you did create a rift. Most of the castle was swallowed up. Vizards have been scrambling to find a way to close it, because it only seems to be getting bigger. It’s like a black hole. It wants to devour everything.”

“Good,” Ymir said darkly. “Let it eat every last vizard it can.”

Zoe sighed deeply. “Ymir, there are innocent people here. And this thing won’t just stop with earth. It will swallow the entire universe. For all we know, it could even start on the other dimensions when it’s done with this one!”

“Is there any way to stop it?” Ymir asked.

Zoe grinned like a child given candy. “Actually, I ran some calculations, and there might actually be a way.”

Hange inched even closer, their face bathed in the shallow blue light. Historia opted to remain where she was, curious but also frightened to be too close to Ymir. She believed Hange, that this Ymir was not hers. Not the one she had trained with, fought with, fell in love with. It was still Ymir, but not hers. It made her heart ache as if it was melting in her chest. Sometimes it felt like it really was. Knowing that her other self had died for Ymir made it even worse.

This was like some cruel joke.

XxX

Ymir felt dizzy. Restoring her body with the energy around her didn’t always do for her what a few days sleep and food could. A lot of it was pure mental strength, too, and Ymir felt like her brain had just been put through a blender. But fuck, she loved Zoe so much, that fucking weird scientist. If not for Zoe’s pure love of science and inventing, they would never have managed to track her, to make sense of this.

Ymir was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she was on an entirely different earth. It was even strange to know that she was dead on this one, and Historia was a Queen. It would have made her laugh. Back on Ymir’s earth, Historia had been a vizard from a powerful family, but no Queen. No royalty, no true power. She hadn’t even been a strong vizard. Yet Ymir had been born a 9, the most powerful one seen in the last one hundred years.

The two of them, despite separate realities, were almost made for each other.

“What is the way, then?” Ymir asked Zoe, impatient. “Because as you can see, I’m otherwise away from home. There isn’t anything I can do.”

“There you are wrong, Ymir. _You_ are the solution.”

Ymir tilted her head. For all of Zoe’s brilliance, they were also goddamn stupid most of the time. “How the fuck am I supposed to close the rift if I’m here?”

“You created it,” Zoe argued. “Ymir, by combining your raw power and the impact of the bomb, you ripped time apart. In theory, you should be able to do it again. You should be able to neutralize the rift and close it up for good.”

“Okay, that I get. But how do I do that?”

“Well, firstly you need to get home.” Zoe sighed and adjusted their glasses. “You’d need to replicate the Event and your power surge, and you should be able to send yourself back. I can work this side on a machine that will help guide you here.”

Ymir’s temples began to throb. “There is no technology here,” Ymir barked. “There don’t seem to be any vipers or vizards. Just zeroes with weird military equipment.” She paused. “And giant naked people.”

Zoe tilted their head. “That sounds fun.”

“They are actually called titans. Mindless creatures with an insatiable hunger for humans,” Hange interjected. “They are actually Eldians. Us. People of our bloodline can transform into, as you said, giant naked people. But without holding one of the nine titan powers, the individual just becomes a mindless titan. A husk with a hunger.”

Ymir and Zoe both stared at Hange. Zoe whistled. “Ymir,” Zoe said. “Please get them to explain how their world works, and write it all down for me.”

Ymir was too tired to argue. “Sure. Fine. Will you please work out how I can create something similar to the Event?”

“Sure thing, Ymir! I should head out to Command and inform them that you’re alive. Count announced that you were dead, so despite the chaos within the vizard ranks, spirits were down in the rebellion. Everyone will be glad to hear that you’re okay.”

Ymir simply nodded and ended the video call. She slipped the phone back into her pocket after switching it off to preserve its battery. Thankfully the thing used the sun to charge. Zoe was truly brilliant at creating stuff like that.

“Well,” Hange said, glancing between them. “I’m sure there is much to discuss. For now, Ymir is our guest.” The soldiers in the room disappeared then, melting into the shadows. “Will that be okay, Historia?”

Ymir looked at her again. Her heart pained.

“Sure,” Historia said, looking and sounding exhausted. “See to it that Ymir is given the best room and food at once. Station two guards at her door, to protect her, not watch her. In the morning we will meet here to discuss this. I think we all need some sleep.”

Hange nodded and bounded out of the room. Ymir started to follow, but paused and glanced back at Historia. Historia was staring at her with a broken expression. It was quickly masked by indifference, but Ymir had seen it. She didn’t linger for anything else, and quickly left the throne room to follow Hange.

At least in this universe, the two of them had loved each other too.

XxX

Historia stayed in the throne room long after everyone else had departed. She knew that there were still military police patrolling around and atop the castle. After Eren had left, security had all but tripled. Since Historia was the last known Fritz heir, and the only one that could get Eren’s coordinate power to work, her life was the most valuable.

She knew it was Eren when the doors to the throne room opened and closed. Two different footsteps approached her, one lingering back. Historia turned and regarded Eren’s haggard appearance with an empty face.

“Welcome back,” she told him.

“Thanks,” Eren said, monotone. The fire that had defined his bright green eyes for so long was gone. There was almost nothing left in his gaze. Directly behind him, silent and broody, was Mikasa. She was his shadow, but not his bodyguard. Now, Eren fended for himself. Mikasa knew that. Everyone knew that.

“How did it go?” Historia asked casually.

Eren shifted his feet and sighed softly. “I saw Reiner again,” he said, almost softly. “I spoke to him before I revealed myself.”

“And how did that go?”

“He almost pissed himself. Seems he wasn’t doing so great after returning.”

“Good,” Historia said darkly. “I hope he suffered.”

“He’s still alive.”

Historia stilled. She swallowed thickly. “And the Jaw Titan’s successor?” She couldn’t even say his name.

Eren looked out through the window at the slowly ascending sun. “I managed to secure the Warhammer titan. Jaw, Cart and Armoured ambushed me. If not for Mikasa’s swift attack on Hammer, they would have ripped me out of my titan. They had enough time to regroup, so we decided to flee once I ate Tibur.”

“And now Marley knows of our intent,” Historia said. “That was a declaration of war.”

Eren straightened. A bloodthirsty grin split his face. “They will send their troops here to Paradis. They think they have the upper hand.”

Historia’s grin matched his. “Exactly as planned. While it’s a shame that you couldn’t retrieve the others, at least we got War Hammer. Well done, Eren.”

“If not for your help, Historia, we would never have come this far against the enemy.”

They clasped hands. His was too warm and sweaty, calloused from too much training. Eren winced when her grip was too firm. “You and Mikasa should let Armin know that you’re safe. He was with Levi in Shiganshina reinforcing the anti-titan defences. I’m sure he’s on his way here after hearing of your return. We need to meet up again first thing in the morning.”

Eren dipped his head and turned sharply on his heel. He was much taller now, broader and packed with muscle. He wasn’t the angry, impulsive child Historia had first met. He was a solid wall of resolution. Some would even say he had become cruel. In contrast, Mikasa had become softer emotionally. She seemed concerned when she watched Eren leave, and sent Historia a look as well.

“Get some rest,” Mikasa told her softly. “An exhausted Queen does not rule well.”

Historia grinned slightly. “Met many Queens, Mikasa?”

She shrugged. “I only assume.”

“Put Eren to bed,” Historia told her. “And yourself. I’m heading to my room after this too.”

Mikasa scoffed at the thought of putting Eren to bed as if he was a child. No one told him what to do anymore, and no one could make him do what he didn’t want to. But she bowed her head and hurried after him, so grown and beautiful, yet always bound by her duty to watch over him, even from afar.

Historia took a slow walk to her room, thinking over the entire day and what would be needed in the days to come. Her spies should be returning as soon as they had sufficient information on what Marley planned to do in retaliation to Eren’s attack. She grinned, feeling a surge of sick satisfaction, hoping that Marley felt a blow with the loss of their beloved War Hammer Titan.

When she settled into bed, she remembered that she would need to call for Annie to return, to give her new orders, too. With heavy shoulders, Historia closed her eyes and fell into a fitful sleep.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This won't have a ton of chapters, but it is gonna be a long story. Not sure how many chapters are left. If you enjoy reading my stuff and would like to know how you can support me, check out my tumblr at danijaynel


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